Today I have an action-packed fantasy for middle grades. Drest is headstrong female lead who will capture the hearts of all readers as she fights to save her family while confronting the truths about how they lived. Right and wrong are not as easily defined for any of the characters. And kids will get a lesson in feudalism, the role of women and warbands in medieval Scotland.

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Title: The Mad Wolf’s Daughter

Author: Diane Magras

Target: Grades 4-7

Series: This is the first book in a planned series

What this book is about:

Drest’s world is upended when knights invade her home and capture her family.Her father and brothers are part of a well-known war band who have both the reputation for helping villagers and plundering their towns.Drest manages to evade capture and finds a wounded knight who she uses to help her find the way to castle where her family is held. She also plans to barter him for the release of her family.The only problem is that her family is set to be hanged in four days so speed is of the essence.

Why I love this book:

Action abounds in this tale.There is never a dull moment as Drest journeys to the castle and encounters bandits, witches, and healers.She evades capture by using her muscles and her wits.Of course, there are also battles and daring escapes making this story anything but monotonous.

Drest is a fabulous heroine.She may be sprite but she is also committed, fierce and brave.She is confronting conflicting views about her family, a family she has always believed lived by an honorable code, but not everyone sees them that way.

This book is solidly set in medieval Scotland.Readers will learn about feudalism, the role of women and warbands.It is a nice history lesson cleverly disguised as a raucous adventure through the countryside.

Who this book is for:

A great book for fans of historical fiction or action books.Kids who like medieval romps will find this story a good fit.If your child liked The False Prince or The Inquisitors Tale this is a good one to hand them.

Final thoughts:

This book is set up for a sequel.I just know there is more here to learn about Drest’s mother and I have a theory.We’ll have to see if I’m right!

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: The Mad Wolf’s Daughter. A portion of each purchase will go to support this blog at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.